Authenticating and Legitimizing Transgender and Gender Non-conforming Identities Online: A Discourse Analysis

Abstract The number of Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming (TGNC) individuals who are presenting for counseling is increasing; yet counselors receive little to no exposure to gender-diversity throughout their education and training. TGNC individuals have reported receiving discriminatory experiences within therapy and ineffectual outcomes. Consistent with social-justice practice, knowledge of how clients understand themselves is necessary to enhance the outcomes of counseling. A key resource TGNC individuals are using to engage in identity exploration is online communities. We applied discourse analysis to analyze the talk and text of three such online communities, and explored: “How do self-identifying TGNC individuals construct their identity when they discuss their related experiences online?” We identified that individuals made sense of their identity using three discourses: (a) felt sense, (b) authenticity, and (c) legitimacy. Individuals constructed their identity using linguistic resources to resist systemic oppression and claim their identities as valid and real. We offer suggestions for infusing this insight into trans-affirmative practice.